


Gift

by Karla_Writes



Category: Free!
Genre: Ficlet, Fluff, Gen, happy birthday makoto
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-17
Updated: 2014-11-17
Packaged: 2018-02-25 19:12:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2633030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Karla_Writes/pseuds/Karla_Writes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Makoto receives a surprise gift from the boys.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gift

**Author's Note:**

> Short, pointless little gift for the angel that is Makoto Tachibana. 
> 
> Set in an (unlikely, but much hoped for) future where Mako/Haru/Rin all live close to each other in Tokyo, and may-or-may-not-be in a polyamorous relationship. 
> 
> *Originally submitted to _makotobirthday.tumblr:_ [Post Here.](http://makotobirthday.tumblr.com/post/102866900176/gift)

Makoto blinked.

Once, twice, and a third time.

His mouth opened and closed, but no words slipped by. His hands twitched as he fell to his knees, completely enraptured with the sight before him.  
Big blue eyes gazed up at him from inside the medium-sized, gift-wrapped box.

The furry, black ball of fluff twitched to the left before giving a squeaky meow.

Makoto turned to Haru, eyes blown wide.

“How?” Makoto mouthed, his voice having lost itself.

Haru’s eyes briefly looked elsewhere as he gave a shrug of the shoulders.

“He can’t take all the credit.” Rin said suddenly, grinning as he moved to Haru’s right.

Makoto cocked his head to the side, waiting for an explanation from either of them. His attention was diverted when the cat gave another meow, almost as if it were searching for Makoto’s attention. With his heart rattling away inside his chest, Makoto carefully picked up the cat.

It began to purr instantly. 

“Oh, now he’s a perfect little angel. Not like he scratched the hell out of me.” Rin grumbled.

“After you left,” Makoto looked up when Haru began to speak, “I asked Rin to help me hide him from the hotel staff.”

“Which wasn’t easy since he’d start crying whenever we left him alone.” Rin added.

“Once the tournament was over and we came back, we rotated on who had to take care of him.”

“I did most of the work, even though the little thing couldn’t stand me unless I had a can of food with me.” Rin huffed.

Makoto ran his fingers through the cat’s black fur, its long back and tail, its dark grey nose, the smooth pads of its paws, and finally its pointed ears. It really was the same scared, skinny cat he’d found cowering behind the dumpster on the alley of the hotel he’d been staying at with Haru and Rin. Out of an ingrained impulse he had, Makoto had wrapped the cat with his jacket and had sneaked it into his hotel room.

Just a few days without hunger and with a comfortable place to sleep, Makoto had told Haru when he’d confessed what he’d done. 

When it had been time for Makoto to return to Tokyo, he hadn’t wanted to part with the cat, but had no idea how to sneak it into a plane and had not been able to afford an upgraded flight that allowed pets. He’d left with the promise that Haru would take him to a shelter.

Makoto could not believe they’d done all of this.

He gently placed the cat down on the floor before he stood up.

“Thank you.” Makoto murmured, pulling both Haru and Rin into a hug. It was awkward since he’d caught them both by surprise, Haru nearly lost his balance and one of Rin’s arms flailed above his head, but that didn’t stop him from squeezing them to his chest. He wanted them to know, to feel, just how much he appreciated their gesture.

“Thank you very much.” Makoto repeated with smile.

Silence, and then, “Happy birthday, Makoto.” Was breathed out in unison against his neck.


End file.
